Caduet is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain, and coronary artery disease (narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart). Caduet is also used to lower your cholesterol (fats in your blood) when a low-fat diet is not enough. Caduet lowers your total cholesterol, "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides (a type of blood fat), and increases "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

What should I know when beginning and continuing on this medication?

How does this medication work?

Caduet contains two medicines: amlodipine and atorvastatin. Amlodipine lowers high blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels, which allows your blood to flow through with less resistance. Amlodipine also helps to reduce chest pain by increasing the supply of oxygen delivered to your heart and reducing the workload of your heart. Atorvastatin blocks a protein in the liver that makes cholesterol. When less cholesterol is made, the liver uses more of it from the blood. This results in lower levels of cholesterol. By lowering "bad" cholesterol, lowering triglycerides, and by increasing the amount of "good" cholesterol in your blood, atorvastatin can slow the buildup of fatty deposits in the walls of the arteries in your heart, brain, or other parts of the body.

What are the beneficial effects of this medication and when should I begin to have results?

What: Along with low-fat diet, Caduet is proven to lower LDL cholesterol by 35.5%-48%, depending on the dose prescribed by your healthcare provider. By reducing LDL and triglyceride levels, increasing HDL, and lowering your blood pressure, Caduet may lower your risk of a heart attack, stroke, chest pain, hospitalization for chest pain or heart failure, and the need for procedures to restore the blood flow back to the heart or to another part of the body.

When: Caduet may start working within a few weeks. Though you may not feel an improvement or change in the way you feel, it is very important to keep taking your medicine as prescribed to keep your condition under control.

How do I know it is working?

Check your blood pressure regularly. Your healthcare provider may also check your blood pressure at every visit. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels during your treatment with Caduet. Appropriate diet and exercise also contribute to your overall heart health and will also affect your blood pressure and the results of your blood tests.

Taking Caduet is not a substitute for following a healthy low-fat and low-cholesterol diet and exercising to lower your cholesterol.

What are the possible side effects of this medication?

The following is not a full list of side effects. Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, tell your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Only your healthcare provider can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking this medication.

More common side effects may include: diarrhea, swelling of your legs and ankles, nausea, upset stomach, muscle and joint pain.

Less common side effects may include:

Muscle problems with symptoms such as muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, which may occur with a fever or feeling more tired than usual.

Liver problems with symptoms such as feeling tired or weak, loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark amber colored urine, or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

Possible increased chest pain or risk of a heart attack.

Low blood pressure with symptoms such as fainting or dizziness.

Who should not take this medication?

Do not take Caduet if you are allergic to it or any of its ingredients.

Do not take Caduet if you have liver disease.

Do not take Caduet if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before I take the first dose of this medication?

Tell your healthcare provider about all prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medications you are taking before beginning treatment with Caduet. Also, talk to your healthcare provider about your complete medical history, especially if you drink more than 2 glasses of alcohol a day; have liver, kidney, heart, or thyroid problems; muscle aches or weakness; diabetes; or if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

What is the usual dosage?

The information below is based on the dosage guidelines your healthcare provider uses. Depending on your condition and medical history, your healthcare provider may prescribe a different regimen. Do not change the dosage or stop taking your medication without your healthcare provider's approval.

Adults: Your healthcare provider will prescribe the appropriate dose for you, and may adjust your dose as needed, until the desired effect is achieved.

If you are elderly, have small stature or liver impairment, or are taking other medications, your healthcare provider may adjust your dose appropriately.

How should I take this medication?

Take Caduet exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Do not change your dose or stop taking Caduet without first talking to your healthcare provider.

Take Caduet once a day at about the same time each day, with or without food.

Do not break the tablets before taking them.

Your healthcare provider will likely start you on a low-fat diet before giving you Caduet. Stay on this diet while you are taking Caduet.

What should I avoid while taking this medication?

Do not become pregnant or breastfeed while you are taking Caduet.

Do not drink large amounts of grapefruit juice (>1 liter per day) while you are taking Caduet.

What are the possible food and drug interactions associated with this medication?

If Caduet is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Caduet may interact with numerous medications. Therefore, it is very important that you tell your healthcare provider about any other medications you are taking.

May I receive this medication if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

Do not take Caduet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

What should I do if I miss a dose of this medication?

If you miss a dose of Caduet, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it has been more than 12 hours since your missed dose, skip the dose you missed and return to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take two doses at once.

How should I store this medication?

Store at room temperature.

Who should I contact in case of emergency or overdose?

In the event of a medical emergency call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately. In the event of overdose, call your doctor or poison control for further instructions.
National Poison Control#: Call 1-800-222-1222

This PDR+ drug information has been developed by the Physicians’ Desk Reference Network (PDRN), a source of medication information trusted by doctors for over 65 years.

This monograph summarizes the most important information about your
medication and does not cover all the information you may need. If you
have any questions or concerns or want to learn more about your
medication, ask your healthcare provider; he/she will be able to provide
answers to your questions. This medication should only be used by the
patient for whom it was prescribed and should not be shared with other
people.

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